On the Edge
by SaviieSparks
Summary: Night after night Romano must give himself to the lustful ways of men in exchange for the money to survive. It is a shameful life but it is the only life he has and he knows better than to believe he can escape it. But when a mysterious, stubborn, airhead
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia in any way shape or form though I wish I did.**

Chapter 1- The Chains of Life

It was a warm beautiful night. The sun had just sank down below the horizon leaving the clouds different shades of purple and blue with a little bit of pink. The moon was rising slowly and the tiny twinkling stars could be seen as they peaked out from behind the colorful clouds, eager to shine and show the world their beauty.

If only he could enjoy it from somewhere other than the back of a smelly drunk's car. But that was Romano's life. Every night he would stand outside of Otallo's Bar and Ivory Night Club looking for someone to pick him up. It wasn't the life he wanted, it wasn't even the life he chose. It was the life he was forced into by his brother who would starve if he didn't and the bastard of a pimp that made him start and wouldn't let him stop.

You see, Romano wasn't always like this. Before he and his brother moved to America he was actually cheerful, happy and a bit hopeful. But after spending three years as a prostitute, a 'job' which showed you people's true colors, he began to grow callous, caustic and even a bit derisive. And it was all thanks to that fuckface. If it wasn't for him Romano and his brother would be living a normal, maybe even better, life.

Romano could still remember the day he met the bastard. It was a cold Saturday afternoon and he had gone out looking for a job. He had been on his way to a small Italian restaurant by the name of Marcello's Italian Grill when the fucker grabbed him at gun point. He told Romano about how he had been watching him and his brother. He explained that if Romano wouldn't work for him then he would kill Feliciano and that was something Romano would never allow. So, just like every night he was in the back of someone's car giving them whatever it was they paid for.

The Italian had to hold his breath has the seemingly plastered man began to breathe harder on him. His breath wreaked like whisky mixed with something dead. It was positively revolting and Romano wasn't sure how much more he could take. To be honest, he was a little grateful when the man shoved his face into the seat as he tried to switch positions, at least then he wouldn't have to smell him. Romano however, didn't appreciate how sloppy the man's movements were. He was trying his hardest not to simply push the man off of him and leave and then, like an angel sent from heaven, the man's phone started to ring.

"H-hello honey, how are the kids?" the man asked as he answered the phone. Romano laid there slightly annoyed, not at the fact that they had been interrupted but at the fact that the man was still in him. "I'll be home soon, I'll see you then. I love you, bye," he said, still panting, before hanging up.

The man looked down at Romano with an annoyed sigh before pulling out and pulling his pants back up.

"My money," was all that Romano said as he sat up right and began to get dressed. The man looked at him slightly agitated but threw him the money he owed. The Italian counted each bill coming up with a satisfying $200. Romano quickly pulled his clothes back on and exited the car with a slight smile. He had finally fulfilled his weeks quota. He would have to give $600 of his $700 to his pimp but the other hundred was his to hold on to and spend however he pleased. Of course he would use it to pay the rent and buy something for him and Feliciano to eat.

Romano couldn't help but smile at the thought of how his brother would cheer and sing when he got home. He wasn't sure why Feliciano was always so happy to see him but it gave him something to look forward to each night.

_Ziiiinng, Ziiiinng, Ziiiinng_

"Hello?" Romano asked answering his phone. He knew very well who was on the other line since his screen read 'Bastard of a Fuckface'.

"Do you have my money?" the man asked, his voice full of amusement. Romano couldn't help but grind his teeth and ball his hand into a fist at the sound.

"Yeah Bastard, I got it," Romano answered with deep agitation.

"Good, I expect it to be in my hand within the next twenty minutes," the panderer announced catching the Italian off guard.

"What?! I can't get ther-" Romano was silenced as two small beeps indicated that the man had already hung up. "Fucking shit!" he yelled shoving his phone back into his pocket. Last time he was giving a time and missed it he ended up with a broken arm and three bruised ribs. He was not going to have that happen again not while he was still able to run like hell.

He reached the man's house with merely minutes to spare. He quickly climbed the steps and knocked on the red apartment door with what little remaining energy he had. He was still panting when the door opened.

"I knew you could do it." Romano looked up to find the man in a black cape that seemed tattered and torn with age. His blonde hair was all over the place and his eyes shone a poisonous green.

"Fuck you, Arthur," Romano growled handing him the money. The blonde frowned and back handed him with great tenacity and speed. A sudden sharp of pain filled the Italian's cheek leaving him in shock for a split second. Romano's hand automatically shot up covering the now red spot. He wanted to cuss the man out and yell one of his many threats but Arthur spoke first.

"Remember your place, Trash," he spat with a dark glare that promised more pain would follow if he said the wrong thing. Romano swallowed his pride to save his body from any unnecessary pain and bowed his head in apology. "I expect twice as much by Friday. Now get out of my sight," he ordered closing the door in the Italian's face.

How was he going to make that much in such little time?!

/

Romano got home around two to find his brother asleep on the sofa. It looked like he had stayed up waiting for him all night but simply couldn't hold out, slipping into a peaceful sleep.

"Fratello," Romano called shaking the boy lightly. Feliciano stirred lightly before opening his large, intimate, honey-golden eyes.

"Ve~ fratello you're home!" he said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around his waist. "How was work? Did your boss make you work late again?" the boy asked rubbing his eyes.

Feliciano didn't know the truth about Romano's real "job", his brother believed he worked in some large building as an assistant or something of that nature. Romano didn't have it in him to tell the boy the truth, to tell him that he sold himself out for money, that he was nothing but trash.

"Uh, yeah, I had a lot of paper work to do. I brought home some takeout but I'm sure its cold now," Romano replied holding up the bag of food.

"Ve~ grazie," Feliciano chirped taking the bag. He opened it up to find a small Chinese box containing fried rice and different kinds of chicken.

"Hoide China was the only place open. If you don't like it you can give it to me and I'll eat it," Romano explain with a shrug before twisting left and right trying to pop his now sore back. Why did people always have to be so fucking rough with him?! He had better not wake up in the morning with more bruises.

"No, its fine. Grazie."

"I'm going to bed, I'm worn out. Don't make a mess and when you're done eating go to your bed so that you don't catch a cold," Romano instructed as he started walking towards his room wanting nothing more than to collapse on his bed and sink into a deep, dreamless sleep.

"Buonanotte~" his brother yelled.

"Buonanotte."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Heaven's Silk

Romano awoke early the next morning with great vexation as the blinding light of the afternoon sun shone through his opened window. He had been too tired last night to close it and now he had to pay the price. He rose with a deep groan and slammed the window closed, bringing the blinds down shortly after.

It was ten in the morning, way too early for him to be awake. The obnoxious sound of birds chirping flooded his ears along with the sound of car horns and the loud chattering of people as they walked past the house. They lived on a very busy road in a small, old, run down house and every morning around six, the noise began, awaking the two brothers from their slumber.

This was one of the many reasons that Romano wasn't surprised to find his younger brother fast asleep in his bed. Feliciano often crawled into his bed in the middle of the night. Sometimes it was because of a nightmare, other time it was to avoid the noise since Feliciano's window was pointed right at the road and the noise was loudest there, but most of the time it was just for thought of having his brother close. It had been going on since they were little so Romano found himself use to it and no longer cared.

Seeing as to the fact that he could not go back to sleep, Romano walked sluggishly towards the bathroom that was across the hall from his room. With a sigh he turned the water on for a shower, adjusting it to just the right temperature, scolding hot.

As he began removing his clothes he found that new bruises had appeared upon his smooth olive skin, some on his arms and others on his legs. There were claw marks leading from him shoulder blades all the way down to his lower back as well. He also noticed that he had a small scratch on his cheek though he didn't remember how it happened. Perhaps it was from when Arthur hit him, he wasn't sure.

His shower was shorter than he would have liked but when the water gets cold there is nothing else to do than get out and get dressed which is what he did.

It was only twelve when he had finished his daily routine and that left a lot of time to waste. He could either stay there and watch TV or he could go out and possibly buy something for himself. He decided that going out sounded more appealing, besides he needed to pay the electric bill. So grabbing his wallet and shoving it into his back pocket, he walked out the door leaving Feliciano fast asleep in his room.

It was warm again like the day before, the wind was blowing a little bit today though causing the Italian's hair to fall out of place some. Romano ignored it as he made his way over to Fredricks Street where all the clothing shops were.

There was really only one shop whose clothes he could afford but every time he went there he had to stop and look into the windows of all the other shops. One day he would be able to afford their expensive clothes, one day they would appear cheap to him.

Having been so deep in a trance as he thought about how nice he clothes would look on him, Romano hadn't noticed that he was staring at someone. He quickly averted his gaze with flushed cheek and tried to walk away but froze in his spot when the man walked out of the store.

"Hola, I couldn't help but notice that you were staring at me. Do we know each other?" the man asked. He had a smooth, sexy Spanish accent that was filled with warmth and joy. Romano wasn't sure why but his voice was comforting and pulled him in like meth does to a crackhead.

"Uhh, no we don't know each other. I was looking at the clothes," explained the blushing Sicilian. He wanted so badly to run, to escape the embarrassing situation but the glorious smile on the Spaniard's face glued him in place.

"Oh haha, I see," the man said with a laugh. "Do you shop here too?"

Romano hadn't noticed it a second ago but the man was gorgeously sexy! He was tall and a little curvy, not curvy like a woman but rather he had a huge ass and nice hips. Romano could see the outline of a twelve pack beneath his tight black shirt and the size of his biceps only helped. He had messy dark chocolate curls that became more tossed by the wind. His skin was a nice golden tan color that caused his emerald green eyes to stand out even more. There was no possible way he was human, he had to have been an angel sent from the heavens.

"Are you okay?" the brunette asked walking closer with concern on his face. Romano quickly snapped back into reality and stepped back.

"N-no I don't shop here," he answered becoming more embarrassed with each passing second. "I-I was just looking."

"Is there nothing you like here? I'm Antonio by the way!"

"That's not the issue," Romano replied looking back at the mannequin in the window.

"Can you not afford it?" Antonio asked plainly. Romano couldn't help but get a little aggravated at the question. No, he couldn't afford it but so what!

"It's none of your business," the Italian said with a glare. Antonio laughed a little and looked at the mannequin.

"If you want something I'll buy it for you," he offered with a warm smile. Romano bit his bottom lip in frustration and balled his hands into fist.

"I don't need your charity, bastard. I'm a grown ass man. If I want something then I'll buy it myself. I don't need some Spanish bastard's pity," Romano snapped only to have the man chuckle. He was so annoying!

"Well I guess if you put it that way then there isn't much that I can do. Have a nice day," Antonio said before reentering the store with a smile. Romano let out an annoyed groan and walked to his usual store.

There weren't very many things in the small shop that suited Romano's taste but it didn't matter as long as they were cheap. He tried on several shirts and pants, most were too big while others were too small. Either way he left the store disappointed and empty handed. He had been hoping to get a new shirt since his favorite one had been ripped two days ago by some psycho but it appeared that wasn't going to happen.

As he made his way past the other shops to get home he found a familiar Spaniard standing outside holding a white and blue bag. He smiled and waved at Romano before rushing over.

"Hola, I know you said you didn't want me to buy you anything but I really wanted to. I'm not sure if I got the right size or if they're even your style but I think you would look good in them," Antonio said holding the bag out to the Italian.

Romano looked at him in disbelief, unsure as to take the bag or not. After a moment he realized that the man wasn't joking and hesitantly took the bag. He opened the bag to find around seven button-up shirt of different colors, all appearing to be made of Italian silk. Romano looked up at Antonio wide eyed.

"How much did these cost?!"

"Only $200, they were having a sell," Antonio explained nonchalantly. Never in his life had Romano spent over $20 on clothes at one time, $200 was just ridiculous!

"That's ridiculous! Take them back!" Romano demanded holding the bag out for him to take only to have the Spaniard refuse.

"I'm not taking them back, if you don't want them then throw them away," Antonio replied in a somewhat serious voice. Romano glared hard at him. Who in the hell would throw away shirts that cost that much?! Certainly not him.

"You don't even know me so why are you doing this?" Romano asked with an annoyed glare that was softened a bit due to the blood that was rushing to his cheeks. Antonio smiled and shrugged.

"I'm not really sure why. I just felt like it was something that I had to do or else I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight and I love my sleep," the man joked. Romano noticed how his grin made his heart flutter a little or perhaps it was making him sick. It was definitely making him sick!

"Well good for you, now you can leave me alone and go sleep," the Italian said before walking away. He could hear the Spaniard's chuckle as he walked off.

"Hasta luego, Romano!"

The Italian stopped and spun around at the mention of his name looking back just in time to see the Spaniard climbing into the back of a black SUV leaving Romano with a sick, uneasy feeling.

"How does he know my name..?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- the Hunter and the Deer

After his peculiar encounter with Antonio, Romano's day went by rather quickly, too quickly if you asked him. He didn't want the day to end, he didn't want night to come. The night was his enemy and had been for the past three years, for every night he had to go back out there and be reminded of how sick and disturbing people could truly be, himself included.

"How sad it is to be a human, a creature of sin, disgust and mistakes" he would often think to himself as he made his way to his usual spot.

For some reason tonight seemed different, it was like someone was watching him and not in the usual lustful way but in the way one looks at a deer before shooting it dead.

"Romano, are you okay?" a familiar voice asked. Romano looked up to find a body full of curves, long light brown hair with golden highlight flowing over like a waterfall and warm shamrock green eyes looking back at him with concern.

"Elizaveta, what are you doing on this side of town?" The Italian asked confused.

Elizaveta was in the same position as Romano. Arthur had threatened her with her childhood friend, an Austrian whose name escaped him, just like he did Feliciano. Elizaveta had been working for the Britain for nearly four years now and was the only one who cared about Romano and the other prostitutes Arthur had under his control. She was a sweet, kind-hearted woman that Romano viewed as a sort of motherly figure and he wasn't the only one. However he had never seen her on his side of town so late at night.

"I wasn't getting much luck on Maine so I decided I'd try over here besides, I don't believe that we'll be receiving the same type of customers," she pointed out with a small smile. She had a point, the men that would pick him up wouldn't be the same as the ones who picked her up. Therefore, he saw no problem in sharing his territory with her.

"I see, well just don't get in my way," said Romano.

"I won't. So how is Feliciano? Is he still going to that art school?" she asked in a sweet, comforting voice.

"Yeah but I'm not sure if I'll be able to make the money to pay for it this month. Arthur wants 1,400 from me by the end of the week," Romano explained as he took out a cigarette and lit it taking a few puffs.

"You should try not to piss him off so much and he would be easier on you," she advised leaning back against the brick wall of the night club.

"Tsk.. It's not my fault that bastard gets on my nerves so much. I couldn't be nice to him even if my life depended on it."

"Well it does and so does Feliciano's so you need to try. I know it's not easy and you don't have to mean it but you have to try or else things will get bad fast. Remember the last time you pissed him off?" She asked with a sigh. Romano nodded and took another hit from his cigarette.

"Yeah, the bastard broke my arm and dislocated my shoulder," replied Romano with great irritation. He had broken his arm several times before that but it was still filled his body with a sickening, nauseating pain and instead of getting use to it like most would think, the pain seemed to double each time.

"See, you don't want that to happen again do you?"

"No... but I just... I hate him so much," Romano said, speaking more to himself than her. Elizaveta looked like she was going to say something when a black car pulled up. Romano made the first move, putting out his cigarette and walking up to the window with a seductive smile.

"Ciao," Romano said leaning in closer. "Are you looking for some fun tonight?"

"That depends, how much do you charge?"

"That depends, what do you want?" replied Romano.

The man was odd looking or rather he was dressed odd. He had on a long army green trench coat, a red hat with a tassel hanging down and an eggshell white mask that covered his eyes. He was weird to say the least but Romano had seen far weirder people in his years.

"I only have $25 so whatever I can get with that," the man answered with a shrug. Romano wasn't sure why but something felt off, most people came to him knowing what they wanted and when they looked at him he could see lust and hunger in their eyes but that was not the case with this man.

"With $25 you can get a handjob," Romano answered, an uneasy feeling rising in his stomach.

"Well then, get in." Romano did as instructed and got into the car, casting Elizaveta one last glance before they drove away.

They drove a little way out until the man found an empty, dark spot behind what seemed to be an abandoned building. He parked the car and looked over to Romano with hungry eyes, not the kind Romano was use to seeing but rather the kind that someone had when they were out for blood.

The Italian knew in that instant that this man had been the one who he felt staring at him all day. Fear and worry began to flood Romano's senses as he came to the conclusion, making his body feel like it was being weighed down with a million bricks. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he couldn't think. He was like a deep caught in the headlights.

The man gave him a disgusting sinister smile and pulled out a large hunting knife that he seemed to have been hiding in the side pocket of the car door. Romano's heart raced faster and his vision began to blur. And then, just before his mind gave out, Romano noticed a white haired man with deep crimson eyes standing outside of the car holding up a gun. With one shot, blood and glass went everywhere and the Italian's world went black.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- A New Kind of Fear

Romano awoke to an unknown ceiling with a beautiful fresco portraying the heavens. He sat up slowly not remembering where he was, how he got there or what had happened. He looked around finding that he was in a rather extravagant room. The floors made up of a dark chestnut wood upon which a large, plush off-white carpet lay. The walls were covered in a wall paper decorated with small white and gold designs that only added to the beauty of the fresco.

There was a long, dark wood dresser across from the bed with a white vase full of red roses and a gold framed mirror hanging above it. There were two white Victorian chairs with a small gold pillow sitting in each on opposite ends of large, fully stocked bookcase made of the same wood as the dresser. A small but still extravagant gold chandelier hung in the center of the room providing it with more than enough light. Never had he been in such a gorgeous room, his room at home was plain with nothing but a bed and a dresser to fill it.

"Where the hell am I?" Romano asked himself. He tried to remember what had happened but found that the last thing he remembered was standing outside of Night Wave talking to Elizaveta about Arthur. _What happened after that though?_

Unsure and honestly a bit afraid, Romano ventured out of the room in search of answers. He walked down a long hallway of dark gold wallpaper and red carpet until he was met the sound of people talking. The Italian froze in fear like a scared animal at the sound of a predator.

"So what did you do with the body?" He heard someone ask, he assumed the person was French due to the thick accent he spoke with.

"I left it there, the cops will just brush it off like they always do. Besides they can't tie it back to us," another man answered, this one had a thick accent as well but it was certainly not French, it was more like a German accent.

Romano backed up slowly as the voices grew closer. They were coming his way!

"That's true but it's still dangerous, mon ami," the Frenchman replied, a lot closer this time.

"You're just jealous that the awesome me can get away with it and you can't!" the German stated with a snort.

They were close, too close. Panic began to rise in Romano's chest as he heard the footsteps. He looked around, desperate for a place to hide but there was none. He decided that returning to the room he awoke in would be the safest bet and turned to do just that when he lost his footing and tripped.

"Fuck!" the Italian hissed having skinned his elbow on the crimson rug.

"Ohonhonhon, what do we have here? A little Italian trying to escape?" The blonde Parisian said with a laugh as he stopped in front of Romano, the German to his left.

Romano swallowed hard as he looked up at the two. He found his mind flooded with memories as he recognized the silver haired German. He remembered the man who had been merely seconds away from killing him. He remembered the way his heart raced and felt like it was going to burst. How his body refused to move despite his efforts and how his mind went blank at the realization that he would be killed. He also remembered the man standing outside of the car with silver hair and crimson red eyes that matched the color of the blood which splattered everywhere when the man pulled the trigger of his gun.

"I-it's you!" Romano pointed, quickly scooting back across the rug to get some distance between them.

"A thank you would be nice! If it wasn't for the awesome me, you would have made the tenth dead whore dumped in some alley," the man snorted taking out a cigarette and lighting it. The blonde took it from him, taking a long drag off of it before giving it back, receiving a dark glare from its owner. "Bitch," the man mumbled taking a drag.

"I'm Francis, this is Gilbert," said the Parisian with a smile, holding his hand out for the Italian to take but Romano refused.

"Y-you killed him, didn't you?"

"What makes you think that?" Gilbert asked with a slightly amused smile.

"I saw you shoot him a-and I heard you talking about t-the body.." Romano confessed before realizing that he shouldn't have told them how much he knew.

"Well, it appears we have a witness that doesn't know how to stay quiet," Gilbert announced casting Francis a glance them smiling darkly at Romano. "We can't have people running around telling everyone what happened can we?" he chuckled reaching for the knife he always carried. Romano's heart began to race like it did in the car. Would they kill him too?

"Mon ami, I'll make you a deal," Francis said hooking his finger under Romano's chin with a smile.

"W-what?"

"I'll make sure that Gilly here doesn't cut your throat if you swear you won't tell anyone what you saw tonight. Just got about your daily life like nothing ever happened. If you don't do that then I can guarantee that we will find you and kill everyone you love. Do we have a deal?" Francis asked, his smile more sinister now. Romano nodded, eyes wide and body shaking.

_Why did they bring me here if they wanted me to stay quiet? Why didn't they just kill me too?_

"Great!" Francis cheered.

"You're lucky kid, I've been itching to carve into someone," Gilbert confessed putting his knife away with slight disappointment.

"W-why am I here?" Romano asked his voice more shaky that he'd like.

"To be honest, we're not sure. The order was to kill the Turk. and bring you back," Francis answered honestly. Romano's eyes went wider and his chest tightened.

"What are you guys, part of the mafia or something?" Romano asked standing up against the golden wall. Gilbert and Francis exchanged a look that confirmed Romano's theory, filling his body with a fear which he had never experienced before. What the hell had he gotten himself into?


End file.
